e.l.f. Cosmetics is returning to the Big Game with a telenovela-inspired campaign that leans into humor, culture, and inclusivity, this time starring Academy Award–nominated actor and producer Melissa McCarthy. Airing during the first half of the game on Peacock, the spot spotlights e.l.f.’s Glow Reviver Lip Oil while celebrating accessibility and cultural connection at one of advertising’s biggest moments.
Titled “Melisa” (me-LEE-sa, delivered in full telenovela gravitas), the campaign plays as an over-the-top parody of classic Latin soap operas. McCarthy stars as a woman who wakes up in a hospital bed with just one day to learn Spanish before attending “the biggest reggaeton concert in America.” Her unlikely hero is e.l.f.’s Glow Reviver Lip Oil, framed as both comedic device and glossy savior. The cast also includes actor Nicholas Gonzalez and iconic telenovela villain Itatí Cantoral, grounding the satire in genuine genre credibility.
The campaign taps into a broader cultural conversation surrounding the Big Game’s halftime entertainment and the growing interest among English-speaking audiences in learning Spanish to fully engage with shared cultural moments.
That insight aligns naturally with e.l.f.’s long-standing connection to its Latin and Hispanic community, which represents 18 percent of e.l.f. buying households, significantly above the category average. To deepen engagement, e.l.f. is partnering with Duolingo to offer complimentary Super Duolingo subscriptions to e.l.f. members. Beauty Squad loyalty program. Watch below:
“Everything we do at e.l.f. marries dreaming big with making it accessible,” said Kory Marchisotto, chief marketing officer at e.l.f. Beauty. “Pairing the absurdly good benefits of Glow Reviver Lip Oil with Melissa McCarthy and telenovela royalty Itatí Cantoral during the most impactful cultural moment of the year felt like the right way to celebrate our Latin and Hispanic community.”
The hero product, Glow Reviver Lip Oil, has been e.l.f.’s best-selling item for two consecutive years, with one sold every 2.4 seconds in 2025. The campaign builds on e.l.f.’s growing Big Game legacy, following past activations that challenged beauty advertising norms with humor, accessibility, and second-screen innovation.
Brought to life by e.l.f.’s partner agency 72andSunny Amsterdam, the spot embraces classic telenovela aesthetics, including hyper-saturated color, flat lighting, and heightened melodrama. It was directed by Tim Heidecker, with creative consulting by Santiago Fabregas.
The Peacock placement serves as the ignition point for a broader rollout across TV, digital, and social platforms, continuing the cosmetic brand’s strategy of showing up at the Big Game not just to sell products, but to participate in culture on its own terms.
CREDITS:
BRAND: e.l.f cosmetics
AGENCY: 72andSunny, Amsterdam, Day One Agency
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